It’s actually considerably better than the rule promulgated by the Bush Administration:
(b) Protecting the Right of Individuals To Bear Arms in Units of the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System.–The Secretary of the Interior shall not promulgate or enforce any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm including an assembled or functional firearm in any unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System if–
(1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm; and
(2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the State in which the unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System is located.
That’s the right law. It would also protect lawful open carrying of firearms in states which allow it. There are some states, however, like Florida (Florida either fixed its law or I’m wrong about it), that prohibit possession of firearms in National Parks as part of state law, so you’re still screwed there until you can fix the state law. But for the rest of us, this is probably the best we could have asked for. Thank you Tom Coburn!
Where did you get your information about Florida law? I can’t find any Florida statute barring possession of firearms in National Parks.
This was good to see. I read the wire release on this and you can never tell if the reporter is really correct when talking about details like this. Many of the states where I (as a WI resident) cannot have reciprocity for CCW allow me to carry openly w/o a permit, so this will actually matter for me now!
It’s too bad it’s attached to such a terrible bill, though. I think it’s going to either a) kill the bill, or b) be dropped by the reconciliation committee.
Excellent, I had thought it was odd that the old rule only provided the means of self defense (in a rural environment) for people who are licensed to carry concealed (usually in an urban environment). It seemed a bit like a disconnect to me, as people who live in pleasantville and might not feel they need a gun might really like one when they are being trailed by a cougar in the middle of the badlands. That disconnect seems especially severe when you consider people like the above commenter, who are unable to obtain a CCW from their home states.
It seems to me like the bush administration, for once, is succeeding, in having brought so much attention to this issue, and i can only hope it does indeed pass.
Any idea if they would be able to pull off the same injuction nonsense on a law as they did on a lawful rule change?
Is there anything the average citizen can do to encourage this to be made law?
I do not personally open carry, but I would in the middle of nowhere in a national park, so I think this is a good deal. My S&W 629 is a little difficult to conceal, but I wouldn’t want to be in Glacier or Yellowstone without it.